Uber and Honda Hit with Injury Lawsuit by Paralyzed Woman

A 24-year-old Texas woman who was left paralyzed after a crash involving an Uber vehicle has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the rideshare company and Honda, the manufacturer of the minivan in which she was a passenger at the time of the crash. According to a news report, the incident occurred the night of November 15, 2015. Sarah Milburn said she was celebrating a birthday with friends. Later, they called for an Uber ride.

According to the lawsuit, Milburn said in the middle of the third row in the Honda Odyssey minivan and buckled her seatbelt. On the drive, the Uber driver ran a red light and was struck by another vehicle whose driver fled the scene. The Honda Odyssey overturned and Milburn could not move her arms of legs. No one else was seriously injured. She was transported to the area trauma center where she underwent several surgeries. Milburn is now at a rehabilitation center, but remains a quadriplegic, which means she is paralyzed from mid-chest down.

Serious Safety Concerns

Milburn and her parents have sued Uber, Honda, the Uber driver and the owner of the minivan he drove. The lawsuit alleges that Honda and Uber failed to provide Milburn “with the safety she reasonably expected,” leaving her with catastrophic injuries, and lifelong disabilities. The complaint also noted that the Uber van’s owner was uninsured and that the rideshare company should be stricter about who drives vehicles under Uber’s name. Uber claims to require background checks for drivers for felony or traffic violations. However, the lawsuit pointed out, that the owner of the minivan was arrested on misdemeanor charges including drug possession, and that Uber should have cared about these arrests.

Liability Issues

With the proliferation of rideshare companies such as Uber and Lyft in a number of cities nationwide, it is important to look at how the company pays attention to the safety of its vehicles’ passengers. Uber has maintained in a number of lawsuits and it is merely a platform that connects drivers with those who need rides, and not a transportation company.

But, it is becoming increasingly clear that the company needs to step up and take responsibility in cases where they have failed to screen drivers properly, in this case, not even caring to check if the car’s owner had auto insurance. Uber is now running driverless cars in several cities. Who is liable for accidents caused by malfunctioning driverless cars? In our opinion, it should be Uber. Those who have been injured and disabled by this company’s negligence certainly should have to pay.